Curriculum
Dear Parents,
I invite you to take the time
to read through this
curriculum guide for the Temple Beth Sholom
Synagogue School. TBS is a place where we believe
strongly in acting out our values, and the school is
one of the many places where that is most evident.
With strong models of Jewish adults, deep
involvement of parents and an incredible teaching
staff, our Synagogue School is a place where Judaism
comes to life!
The curriculum guide is one
which was developed over a long period of time.
This hard work took place in the Education
Committee, in consultation with Judith Havas, our
synagogue administrator, parents, teachers, and also
with our Educational Visioning Committee. Through
this process, we believe we are thinking broadly
about all the possibilities that exist for
innovative educational models. And we hope that
will be a benefit for you and your children.
The TBS School curriculum is
influenced heavily by the educational philosophy of
Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan. His vision of a school that
developed a sense of belonging in the hearts and
minds of its students is at the core of our
mission. We seek to instill a sense of belonging –
behaving – believing through each of our educational
experiences. Additionally, we are a school
dedicated to passing on the Values of Spiritual
Peoplehood to our youth. These values are;
hohmah (wisdom), kehillah (community),
dereh eretz (ethical behavior), hiddur
mitzvah (beautification of the commandments),
tziyonut (peoplehood), kedushah
(holiness) and tikkun olam (repair of the
world). Through each lesson, family education
experience and Shabbat morning service it is our
goal to transmit these values to parents, children
and teachers alike.
This curriculum guide is an
experiment in informal education. The educational
models of Jewish camping and youth group are at the
heart of our philosophy. Because of that, it is a
model which is constantly adapting, evolving and
reconstructing itself to the needs of our students,
teachers and families. We ask for your patience and
your support as we try to explore all the wonderful
opportunities that this path affords us.
Thank you so much for taking
the time to read through this document. Hopefully
it represents the best vision of what we wish for
our youth; to establish a strong and life-long
Jewish identity which sustains them, a series of
values to guide them and a home to return to during
their life’s journey.
Bivrahah (with many blessings),
Rabbi James Greene
Educating our youngest members is
one of our highest priorities. They will lead our congregation in the
years to come, and we are excited about our growing enrollment and dynamic
curriculum. We want our children to feel like they are an important part
of our community and to help them understand what it means to be Jewish.